The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has fined fast bowler Naseem Shah PKR 20 million for a controversial social media post that questioned the presence of a senior political figure at the opening game of the Pakistan Super League, which began behind closed doors last week.
The controversy stems from events at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, where Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz attended the opening fixture as a state guest. Nawaz, along with other dignitaries, was introduced to officials of all eight franchises and players ahead of the match between defending champions Lahore Qalandars and tournament newcomers Hyderabad Kingsmen.
Naseem reacted to the ceremony with a post on X, writing, “Why is she treated like the queen at Lord’s?” The remark was widely interpreted as a criticism of Nawaz’s reception at the venue. The post was deleted shortly after it was published, with the fast bowler later claiming that his account had been hacked.
The PCB took swift action, issuing a notice to Naseem for violating the terms of his central contract, as well as breaching the board’s media policy and code of conduct. The 21-year-old submitted an unconditional apology and appeared before a three-member disciplinary committee in Lahore on Monday.
In its official statement, the PCB said that Naseem had been found “to have breached various clauses of his central contract.” The board added that the player had already terminated his social media adviser. The adviser will also be blacklisted from working with any cricketer under the PCB’s jurisdiction.
The incident unfolded during a challenging period for cricket in Pakistan. The current PSL season is being staged without spectators due to the wider regional impact of the Iran conflict. Rising fuel costs and government advisories have led authorities to restrict travel and encourage work-from-home measures. As a result, the tournament, which was initially scheduled to be played across six venues, has been limited to Lahore and Karachi.
This is not the first instance of disciplinary action linked to political expression in Pakistan cricket. In 2025, Pakistan all-rounder Aamer Jamal was fined $4,000 for displaying a slogan in support of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
On the field, Naseem has endured a difficult start to the PSL season with the new franchise Rawalpindi PindiZ. He returned figures of 0 for 51 in their five-wicket loss to Peshawar Zalmi. Despite the controversy, he remains a key figure in Pakistan’s pace attack, having taken 152 wickets across 20 Tests, 34 ODIs and 37 T20Is.
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